20: Zombies

Lin Ze was drenched in sweat, his whole body trembling as he slumped on the floor.

Listening to the sound of zombies tearing and chewing outside, along with Lin Ran's painful, hoarse screams, tears and snot streamed down his face.

Lin Wan was truly terrifying. How could she be his sister? She was a demon!

She could feed Lin Xu to the zombies without hesitation, personally break Ran Ran's limbs, and strike Aunt Xu with an iron rod!

If he hadn't run fast, he would surely be dead by now!

Lin Ze's entire heart was shrouded in fear, panic, and lingering dread.

He panted heavily and wiped away his tears.

He hurriedly went to the kitchen to grab a kitchen knife and held it to his chest, then ran to the bathroom, locked the door, and huddled in a corner.

He kept his eyes wide with vigilance, listening to the movement outside.

Lin Wan and Mo Chi stood in the living room, looking through the window at the increasing number of zombies below.

Law enforcement officers who were working just a moment ago were bitten and turned into zombies in the next second.

The crowd was in total chaos, screaming and running in panic.

From this moment on, there was no longer any order or rules to speak of.

The entire world had undergone an earth-shattering change; everything was being reshuffled and started anew.

Some agile zombies had already climbed up to the outside of the glass using air conditioning units and balconies.

Sensing the scent of the living, they bared their fangs and claws, trying to break through the glass to get in and bite people.

"Mo Chi, their mutation now should be related to yesterday's acid rain."

"Yeah. I think so too, but their movements are unexpectedly agile."

"This is just the beginning. As the environment changes and other viruses appear later on, they will continue to evolve, and they'll evolve very quickly. When that time comes, they won't just climb buildings and scale walls; they'll also have ranks. High-level zombies will have explosive combat power."

Lin Wan suddenly thought that if zombies had appeared, did that mean the awakening of special abilities was also coming soon?

"Mo Chi, do you feel anything unusual with your body?"

Mo Chi shook his head.

"No. Why?"

"It's nothing, maybe the time hasn't come yet."

Lin Wan stopped thinking about it.

"We have to go back. There will only be more and more zombies."

"Yeah, let's go. It's a good chance to practice."

Lin Wan felt strangely excited. She took out her crossbow and rubbed her hands together.

Mo Chi coordinated with her, and they opened the door swiftly.

The zombies at the door immediately swarmed forward.

Lin Wan took them down with one arrow each, while Mo Chi could send a group flying with a single kick.

After temporarily clearing the zombies on the eleventh floor, Lin Wan kindly unlocked Lin Ze's door across the hall as she headed downstairs, then pushed the door open.

She and Mo Chi dealt with the zombies coming up from below while quickly making their way down the stairs.

Right now, the zombies were only at the lowest level. Mo Chi was highly skilled, and while Lin Wan couldn't match him, she could protect herself—besides, she had an endless supply of weapons.

So the two of them didn't find it difficult at all. Lin Wan took this opportunity to put everything she had recently learned into practice.

Lin Ze, huddling in the corner of the bathroom, suddenly heard the sound of the front door being unlocked.

"Impossible, the door was double-locked, no one could possibly open it! Impossible..."

His heart was in his throat, feeling as if it would jump out of his chest.

Beads of sweat the size of beans dripped from his forehead into his eyes, stinging them intensely.

He pressed against the wall, carefully opened the bathroom door, held his breath, and poked his head out, only to see a scene that nearly scared him to death.

The door he had clearly locked was now wide open.

A dozen zombies had already knocked aside the cabinets and sofa he'd used as a barricade, and even more zombies were coming from upstairs, drawn by the scent. The hallway was a dark, crowded mass.

Lin Ze even saw Lin Xu among that group of zombies!

His eyes were hollow and cold, and he held a severed arm in his hand, taking a bite every now and then...

"Ah..."

Lin Ze completely broke down!

But the instinct and desire for survival pushed his fear and terror to the absolute limit.

He frantically closed the bathroom door, gripped his kitchen knife, and hid inside, shivering uncontrollably.

A few seconds later, the bathroom door was being pounded on frantically.

Lin Ze could even see their long fingernails scratching forcefully against the door, making a piercing, grating sound!

He widened his eyes and held his breath, constantly praying in his heart:

"Don't come in! Don't come in!"

BANG!

The door was smashed open.

"Ah... no!"

Amidst his miserable screams, his eyes went wide as he watched his own intestines being pulled out...

Lin Wan and Mo Chi ran all the way, followed by a large swarm of zombies.

At a corner, using a building as cover, Lin Wan took out the off-road vehicle.

Mo Chi drove, ramming through a group of zombies as they sped toward the villa!

When they returned to the vicinity of the villa, sure enough, many survivors who had been hiding there had turned into zombies, while others were running frantically down the mountain.

Back at their own gate, Xie Ji Chuan and Xia Yue were on the roof with bows and arrows, shooting the straggling zombies that hadn't been electrocuted and were trying to climb in.

Xia Yue and Xie Ji Chuan had been dating for many years, and he was one of Mo Chi's men. After one incident where Xia Yue was taken away by Shen Moxuan for two days...

Xie Ji Chuan began teaching her self-defense personally. After all, he couldn't be by her side every second. Now, after all these years, her skills were quite good.

"Oh, you're finally back! If you hadn't returned, Yue Yue and I were going to go look for you!"

"We're fine, just some petty zombies."

Lin Wan and the others entered the villa, stored the car, and closed the main gate.

Mo Chi took out his walkie-talkie.

"Uncle Wang, Ji Chuan, come over."

In a short while, all three of them arrived.

Xie Ji Chuan's peach-blossom eyes were sparkling. As soon as he entered, he said,

"This is too insane. It turns out the movies were all real. I've truly witnessed what the Apocalypse is like!"

Everyone was caught between laughter and tears by his excited appearance.

Xia Yue pinched his ear.

"I think you're just tired of the good life. The end of the world is here, and you're actually excited?"

Xie Ji Chuan winced and grimaced.

"Wife, wife, my ear is going to fall off! Ouch, I'm just being optimistic..."

Xia Yue let him go and gave him a playful, annoyed slap on the head.

Xie Ji Chuan smiled awkwardly.

"Wife, there are so many people here, at least save me some face."

"Forget it, we're all family. Who doesn't know what you're like!"

Lin Wan found it incredibly amusing to watch this bickering couple; they were truly a pair of jokers.

Xia Yue took Lin Wan's arm and sat down.

"Sister Wan, how is it? It must be even worse in the city center now, right?"

Lin Wan nodded.

"Yes, anywhere with a lot of people is inevitably affected."

"So, Mo Chi and I were thinking that for this period, we'll just hunker down comfortably in the villa. We'll plan our next move after the New Year, how about it?"

"Yeah, that sounds great."

Uncle Wang always had a smiling face.

"I'll listen to whatever you all decide."

Xie Ji Chuan sat with his legs crossed.

"That works out perfectly. Before the Apocalypse, I was working like a dog for Mo Chi every day, so busy I barely touched the ground. Now that the end is here, I can actually have some private time with my Yue Yue!"

Xia Yue had only one word of disdain.

"Scram."

Mo Chi glanced at him.

"Heh, you're actually complaining? Without me, would you have been able to marry Xiao Yue?"

"Alright, alright, Brother Mo Chi, my mistake... You're all right..."

Lin Wan and Xia Yue looked at the two of them, finding the scene oddly comical, and both burst into laughter together.

Xie Ji Chuan scratched his head and said cockily,

"What's wrong with you two? The two of us are at least some of the top handsome guys in Capital City. Is it really that funny?"

Xia Yue delivered a merciless finishing blow.

"Brother Mo Chi can certainly claim the title of number one handsome guy, but as for you, forget it!"

Uncle Wang slowly added a sentence.

"Yue Yue has a point."

"Uncle Wang!"

Xia Yue and Lin Wan laughed even harder.

Mo Chi's eyes were full of smiles as he watched Xia Yue lean in to whisper something to Lin Wan. Lin Wan listened and laughed until her eyes crinkled; her genuine joy was plain to see.

It seemed that now that those members of the Lin family were dead, she had entered a more liberated state.

They had dinner together that evening. Lin Wan had already taken out vegetables and some cooked deli meats from her space and placed them in the kitchen.

Mo Chi and Xie Ji Chuan wore aprons and busied themselves in the kitchen.

Uncle Wang was on the balcony watching a show on his tablet.

Lin Wan and Xia Yue chatted while watching a variety show, their pleasant laughter ringing out from time to time.

Lin Wan clutched her stomach, which hurt from laughing, feeling that Xia Yue was truly adorable—a bright little ball of joy.

She looked at the tall figure in the kitchen. Suddenly, she felt as if it were a lifetime ago.

The Apocalypse had come, and yet she was experiencing a sense of home that she had never felt before. It was somewhat ironic.

...

The delicious meal was soon ready.

They chatted as they ate, discussing what they should have for their New Year's Eve dinner, which was a month away.

Xie Ji Chuan poured wine for Uncle Wang and Mo Chi.

The two girls drank juice.

Xie Ji Chuan drained his glass in one go and smacked his lips.

"Drinking with Uncle Wang and Mo Chi is really no fun. I've never seen them get drunk; they just take a few sips. Can you even call that drinking?"

Lin Wan smiled and pushed her glass over.

"Is that so? That is boring. How about I drink with you?"

Xie Ji Chuan was stunned.

"You? You're not a one-glass lightweight, are you? If you get drunk, will Mo Chi let me off?"

Lin Wan shook her head.

"Look at how cowardly you are!"

She tugged on Mo Chi's arm, her voice sweet.

"Mo Chi, can I have a drink?"

Her eyes were very bright, but they also made his heart ache.

Mo Chi stroked her face.

"With me by your side, drink if you want to."

"Oh boy, I'm getting goosebumps!"

Xie Ji Chuan gave an exaggerated shout, then poured her a glass.

"Come on, Lin Wan, since you have a free pass, I'll drink to our heart's content with you today!"

"Sure! It's the Apocalypse; we should drink when we want and eat when we want. It's not like we're lacking!"

The two of them went glass after glass, and as they got into it, they even added some hard liquor.

Xia Yue wanted to stop them, but Mo Chi shook his head slightly, so she let them be.

They all knew something about Lin Wan's family.

She must be feeling bad inside, or perhaps something had happened today?

Soon, Xie Ji Chuan was tipsy.

Lin Wan's cheeks were already flush red, and her speech was becoming slurred.

She leaned unsteadily in Mo Chi's arms, giggling foolishly.

"Mo... Mo Chi, thank you. Thank you for letting me live, hehehehe... I'll cherish it... I've let you down..."

Seeing this, Xia Yue quickly helped the dazed Xie Ji Chuan leave with Uncle Wang's assistance.

Mo Chi carried the alcohol-scented Lin Wan into the bedroom, changed her clothes, and wiped her face with a towel to make her more comfortable.

Mo Chi only stepped out to pour some water, and when he returned, he found her sitting on the bed, looking at him with a pout.

When she saw him come in, she reached out her arms for a hug.

Mo Chi's heart softened, and he went over to take her into his arms.

"What's wrong? Wanwan, I just went to get you some water."

Lin Wan hugged his waist.

"Mo Chi, will you stay with me?"

The girl's voice was fragile and soft, a tone he had never heard when she was sober.

Mo Chi lowered his head to kiss her—her forehead, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips.

"Baby, I'll stay with you. I'll never leave..."

...

The next day, Lin Wan woke up to find herself lying in Mo Chi's arms.

"You're awake?"

Lin Wan was still a bit dazed. She remembered drinking with Xie Ji Chuan yesterday, and then...

And then... she couldn't remember.

"Um, Mo Chi, is your arm numb? Did I... act like a crazy drunk yesterday?"

Lin Wan asked tentatively.

Mo Chi pinched her cheek and teased,

"No, you were very good. You just insisted on hugging me to sleep, so I had to reluctantly oblige."

Lin Wan gave him an annoyed glare.

"You've picked up bad habits from Xie Ji Chuan; you've learned to be cheeky too!"

Lin Wan didn't think more of it and sniffed her alcohol-smelling loungewear with disgust.

"Mo Chi, let's go into the space to wash up and have breakfast."

...

After some modifications, the villa was generally indestructible.

Even zombies couldn't get in easily, and they had even heightened the electric fence.

Lin Wan and the others stayed in the villa every day, eating and drinking, and chatting over the walkie-talkies when they had something to say. For a time, it was quite peaceful.

Although Mo Chi lived with her, they had always slept in separate rooms.

He also gave her enough space so his love wouldn't feel suffocating; instead, it was like a cool breeze or bright moonlight—comfortable and sweet.

At the end of November, a month before the New Year, the weather was exceptionally cold.

The Apocalypse had been going on for nearly three months, and Lin Wan and Mo Chi had been together for almost four months.

Her relationship with Xia Yue and the others had also become increasingly close and trusting.

In previous years, the temperature would be minus twenty degrees at most, but today it was a full minus thirty.

The generator ran non-stop, and the heaters, electric blankets, and hand warmers in the house were all on.

The rooms were quite warm and cozy.

Lin Wan did three things every day: exercise, kill the zombies outside the gate, and go into the space with Mo Chi.

In the space, they would find time to organize their supplies, and when they got tired of that, they would drive around to see just how large the space was.

Mo Chi and Lin Wan also tried planting apple trees and potatoes in the black soil.

To their surprise, in just one month, the apple trees began to bear fruit, and the apples were large, sweet, and delicious.

The potatoes they planted also quickly took root and sprouted, growing quite large.

There were thousands of acres of such black soil in the space.

"As expected, the space still has many surprises!"

Mo Chi looked at the stream over there, lost in thought.

"Wanwan, I don't think the water in that stream is ordinary water."

Lin Wan was startled, then she realized what he meant.

"The stream? The water there is indeed very clear and bright, without a single impurity..."

A flash of inspiration suddenly struck Lin Wan's mind.

Could it be...

"This is spiritual spring water!"